Every day, people depend worldwide on our survival products in the most demanding conditions, from Mach speeds at 30,000 feet to the open seas during hurricanes. That trust begins with our manufacturing process; in our factory, we strictly adhere to AS9100 quality for everything. AS9100 is the quality management standard for the aviation, space, and defense industries, the highest level of quality control approvals. While necessary for some of our products, we voluntarily impose the same quality requirements on all products.
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AV-200 Passenger Life Vest |
Based in Trenton, NJ all of our products are made on-site. One of the benefits on manufacturing products in-house is the total control over every step in the process and the ability to integrate quality assurance in all steps. In making a life vest, you’ll find tests in every step, totaling 7 times for each life vest.
From the moment, raw materials are received on-site, we begin testing the fabric to ensure everything is up to specification. The material is stretched to test tear strength, breaking strength, burst and then cured in the oven to check the coating of the material. If the material fails any of the tests, it is scrapped. Throughout the production process, an individual inspector investigates each and every partially finished product to verify seals and check for defects. Just like in the materials test, if the test is failed, the product is sent back.
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AV-35A Double Airline Passenger Vest |
ILV20 Infant Aviation Life Vest |
As the life vest begins to take shape, inflation tests are performed over a series of 24 hours to validate it holds air without any leaks. When it passes, it receives a quality stamp. But that’s not where the quality checks stop! After the final touches are added to the life vest, the vests are tested to ensure proper it around someone’s neck and again, if it doesn’t pass it doesn’t move forward.
After the vests are packed, they are matched serial number to bag and tested to make sure each packed vest meets the required dimensions.
Some may argue that all of the testing is not needed and slows down the production process. But at SWITLIK, every test is not just necessary but imperative; someone’s life counts on it.
